Anna Majavu

Anna Majavu

Even before forming a new government, the ANC is already reneging on its election promises.

Its secretary-general, Gwede Mantashe now says the ANC has no intention of banning labour brokers.

Labour Minister Membathisi Mdladlana promised on the campaign trail that the party would ban labour brokers. But Mantashe told Sowetan yesterday that the ANC had no intention of doing so.

His comment flies in the face of promises made by Mdladlana, who told a group of potential voters in Langa, Cape Town, last year that "we are going to ban labour brokers".

"Labour brokers are not doing our workers a service. People who are employed by labour brokers have no pensions, no benefits, and are just dumped."

Months later Mdladlana told a Chemical Workers Union conference that the ANC planned to ban labour brokers, who he said "were no better than human traffickers".

Now two powerful Cosatu unions say they may strike if the ANC does not live up to its promise.

Numsa national education officer Dinga Sikwebu said the ANC must amend the Labour Relations Act to prohibit labour brokers.

National Union of Mineworkers general secretary Frans Baleni said his union would use "every measure to pressure government to ban labour brokers".